Let the Right One In

I am not particularly fond of the vampire genre, but this movie is so much more. It is artistic, poetic, and in many ways a very profound movie exploring the nature of good and evil. It does so through the world of a child where both pure evil and pure goodness are somewhat discernible, and it achieves an astounding array of contrasts that allow us to see that good and evil can coexist side by side. Doing so, this movie is very thought-provoking, leaving the audience yearning to read the novel. In short, this movie is a gem. There is no need to remake this movie which according to IMDb.com they will be. You don't need to wait until 2010, you should watch this movie now.

I saw it in Bangkok International Film Festival 2008 and love this movie very much.

It has something big and stunning about this lovely storyline to rivet my attention from the beginning to the end. Moreover, the cinematography and atmosphere in this film are undeniably superb. The chemistry between two preteen protagonists is outstanding and very believable. Everything in this film is well-made in synchronization.

This is the first film related to a vampire that I think is least connected to Vampire's teeth baring at audience all the times, like other familiar horror we used to see. Other than some gory scenes in this film, we can yet see some flesh and blood moment of humane Vampire. And that is truly written to the core plot.

The last scene at swimming pool is totally mesmerizing and mind-blowing.

By the way, if Sweden submits this movie to be in competition with other nominees around the world for Oscar foreign-language film category this year, this masterpiece should win or at least be short-listed for the final fives.

10 out of 10

I saw several movies at the Seattle International Film Festival this year, and Let the Right One In was by far my favorite of the bunch. It's primarily a movie about how friendship can help you find your own personal strength. Two lonely children meet and change each other's lives. The fact that one is a vampire makes the movie even more interesting and unique, but it's not the most important plot detail. The cold darkness of Sweden makes the perfect backdrop for the story. It was so refreshing to see a vampire movie that doesn't rely upon cheap scares, fangs and gore. The only scene I didn't enjoy involved cats with computer animated faces - it looked very stupid and out of place, but this was a small disappointment in an otherwise outstanding film. I highly recommend this movie.

Twelve year old Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) lives with his mother in an apartment block, at school he is called Piggy and is relentlessly bullied by three other boys. Then he meets his neighour Eli (Lina Leandersson), who tells him "I am twelve, but I have been twelve for a long time" - brilliant! Oskar is a bright kid, a series of murders in which victims are drained of blood and Eli's ability to climb walls combined with her nocturnal lifestyle leads him to ask if she is a vampire. Let the Right One In is a vampire movie, but it is more than just horror, it is also a coming of age drama and indeed a love story. The two leads are amazing, two of the best child performances that I have seen. One other thing that impressed me was the snow covered Swedish landscape, not only does it look wonderful but it gives the film a cold, bleak look.Red blood on snow, very effective. This movie isn't for everyone - if you don't speak fluent Swedish then it means subtitles, and at almost two hours it may prove too long for viewers who become impatient with slow burners. This was my second viewing, both times during Winter as I think watching it during warmer months may lessen the impact. Essential viewing for lovers of European horror and contemporary vampires.

Tomas Alfredson's "Let The Right One In" is an original, dark, twisted and gory horror fantasy, one of those special films that are hard to classify. Not merely an exercise in style, his film is a brilliant piece of amoral storytelling, and even if some characters' actions defy any logic or common sense (I don't wanna spoil any moment here, but you'll know what I mean when the first revenge moment of the story happens), they seem to be there just to remind you that this is just a fantasy tale (but not for the little ones!). Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a 12 year-old bullied boy that befriends and develops an innocent crush on his new neighbor, Eli (Lina Leandersson), who happens to be a vampire. What comes next is a twisted tale of revenge and pubescent love, made with visual flair (the swimming pool scene is already classic), creative directing and impressive performances by the young pair of protagonists.

Hollywood, of course, didn't waste time and already announced an upcoming remake for those who are too lazy to read subtitles. Most likely, the remake will turn out to be PG-13 in order to make more money, and be filled with moral values so the prudish parents will let their kids watch the movie (don't they know "The Little Vampire" was made years ago?). Ignore the future bomb and enjoy the original - you're in for a treat! 10/10.